Method

Brown the Venison, remove the meat and place it in an oven proof casserole dish.

Add the onions to the pan with a little more oil if needed and cook gently until softened, add the garlic and cook for a minute or so longer.

Add the balsamic vinegar and stir well to make sure you get all the caramelised meaty flavours from the bottom of the pan.

Add the port and the stock and bring to the boil. Pop in the cinnamon and cloves and the dried chillies if you are using them.

Leave to simmer for 5 minutes then pour the sauce over the meat, cover tightly with a lid or some tin foil and place in the oven for 1 ½ hours.

Long, slow cooking will produce really tender meat so if you have time turn the heat down and leave it for longer or better still pop it in a slow cooker. I cook this in the warming oven of the Rayburn and leave it all afternoon.

When the casserole is ready, strain the liquid into a pan (return the meat and onions to the casserole dish) and bring to the boil until reduced by half. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If you prefer a thicker sauce you might want to use one of these methods on WikiHow.

Serve with leeky mashed potatoes and a leafy green vegetable such as kale or spinach.